A Cleveland mother has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault and child endangering in connection with the 2024 death of her 2-year-old son, who suffered from spina bifida and died amid conditions prosecutors describe as severe neglect. Niesha Walls entered the plea after initially facing murder charges, and she is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
The boy, identified as Noell, died at the family's home in Cleveland's Kinsman neighborhood on August 6, 2024, according to court records cited by Cleveland.com. Prosecutors say Noell died from severe neglect. The apartment where he was found sits within public housing developments near Anita Kennedy Avenue and Kinsman Road that are managed by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, according to Justia Law records.
Spina bifida is a birth defect affecting the spine, and the condition typically requires ongoing pediatric medical supervision. The disorder affects roughly 1 in every 2,857 live births in the United States each year, or an estimated 1,250 to 1,400 infants, according to the CDC. Court records and child welfare filings indicate Walls' children had not received medical care from a doctor and were not enrolled in school.
Two Siblings Found Severely Malnourished
When authorities responded to the home, they found two other children, ages 11 and 9, suffering from severe malnutrition, prosecutors say. Both were hospitalized following their discovery. The initial wellness check at the apartment was conducted jointly by Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority police officers, Cleveland police and Cleveland EMS, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.
The home was described as being in poor condition, with little or no food available and animal feces present, per court records. A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Walls in August 2024. Following the discovery, the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services filed a motion in juvenile court seeking permanent custody of the two surviving children, per the same account.
Psychiatric Evaluation Ordered Ahead of Sentencing
Judge Brian Mooney is scheduled to sentence Walls on September 30. Ahead of that hearing, Mooney referred Walls to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Psychiatric Clinic for a mental health evaluation, according to WKYC. At her initial municipal court bond hearing in August 2024, where bond was set at $100,000, defense counsel said Walls had been employed at a local church prior to her arrest.
What the Charges Could Mean in Prison Time
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.04, involuntary manslaughter committed as a proximate result of a felony is classified as a first-degree felony, carrying a potential prison term of 3 to 11 years and fines up to $20,000. The felonious assault charge Walls also pleaded guilty to is a second-degree felony under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.11, punishable by 2 to 8 years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The case follows another high-profile Cuyahoga County child fatality prosecution. In March 2024, Cleveland mother Kristel Candelario was sentenced to life in prison without parole for aggravated murder after leaving her 16-month-old daughter home alone to starve while she was on vacation, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.
A Pattern County Officials Say Persists
Child welfare risk assessments in Cuyahoga County show that reports of abuse and neglect consistently exceed regional and Ohio state averages, with parental mental health or substance use issues contributing to more than 20 percent of reported cases, according to the Ohio Children's Trust Fund. Officials have not detailed what, if any, role those factors played in Walls' case.
-4.webp?w=160&h=400&fit=crop&crop=edges)
